Yesterday, my demo - Brioche in Three Hours was cut short. My demo was part of the Women Chef's and Restaurateurs Conference that was held here in Los Angeles this weekend.
I was demoing with Chef Jack Mancino from Hudson River Valley Foie Gras and 45 minutes was not nearly long enough. His foie demo was amazing. Since brioche is perfect with foie gras - that was my contribution.
Well, time ran out and I could not finish my demo so I promised the attendees that my next blog post would be all about how to make brioche in three hours.
.
Usually, making brioche is a long process that involves bulk fermenting the dough in the refrigerator overnight. But before that the butter is emulsified into the dough. This is fine and classic but it leaves a dough so soft that it has to be refrigerated overnight. It is next to impossible to shape without chilling.
A few years back when brioche hamburger buns were all the rage, the student cafe at the Art Institute often ran out - this is never good. So I worked on changing the mixing method so that the buns could be made quickly and there would always be enough.
By using creaming method in the beginning, I was able to avoid adding the butter at the end.
Also, the dough could be shaped after a mere hour of bulk fermentation at room temperature.
The students mastered the technique quickly and the little cafe never ran out of buns.

Brioche can be shaped many ways. It can be shaped as an a tete if you have any a tete molds hanging around, as buns or as a loaf - loaves are often called "Nanterre". Larger loaves will take longer to proof and bake.

I hope I have aroused your curiosity, bakers, and that you will try this brioche. It's quick and easy - no gimmicks or rapid yeast - just the same ingredients but mixed differently.
This recipe belongs to my good friend and amazing bread baker, Michael Kalanty. If you have not purchased his first book "How to Bake Bread" please do so now. And his second book "How to Make More Bread" will be available soon. First book

Please try this brioche bakers and tell me what you think.
Also if you have questions, please ask, I am here to help.

Happy Baking!
Colette

Three Hour Brioche

A Baking with Colette Tutorial

Adapted
from How to Bake Bread by Michael Kalanty

The ingredients in paranthesees yield a small batch.

SPONGE METHOD

9
(4.5) ounces water

1 ½
(3/4) ounces fresh yeast or ½ (1/4) ounce instant

12(6)
ounces bread flour

1.Combine well in a bowl – cover
and let sit, covered, at room temperature for 45 minutes

Final Dough

11
ounces butter (5.5 ounces)

3(1.5)
ounces of sugar

6
(3) eggs

1 #
(pound) 8 ounces (12 ounces) bread flour

7/8
ounce of salt (22g) (11g)

mise en place

Demo Notes

1.Dissolve
the yeast in the water, add flour and mix until smooth.

2.Let
sit, covered, 45 minutes at room temperature.

after 45 minutes

3.In
a mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar until light and
fluffy – 6 minutes.

4.Add
the eggs 2 at a time – mix each addition in well before adding the next. It will look broken, that's ok.

It looks broken, that's ok

5.Add
the sponge mixture – mix until smooth.

Add yeast paste

6.Remove
the paddle and attach the dough hook add the flour and the salt mix on speed 1 until
it achieves “clean up” stage.

7.This
takes about 4 minutes. Then mix for another 2 minutes on speed 2 until smooth.

8.Bulk
ferment the dough in a buttered bowl, covered, for 1 hour until dough has
doubled in size.

9.Degas
and shape as desired. Dough can also be overnight fermented.

two ounce portions

Proofing in XL Ziploc bags with hot water

10.Proof,
egg wash, bake at 350 until golden brown, has an internal temperature of
205-210 and feels light. If the brioche
feels heavy return it to the oven for 5-7 minutes. The oven temperature can be
reduced 25 degrees so that the brioche do not get too dark.